To Run
by StEpPiNg StOnEs
Summary: She was one of Peter's last patients, and she wasn’t even really his. For some reason, he always came to her though just to see her smile. He learned that she could run faster than humanly possible, and she often did, just to get away. PeterxOC fullinside
1. Dark

**a/n okay! so here's my fanfiction for Peter Petrelli played by the loverly Milo Ventimiglia. I used to write Jess, from Gilmore Girls, fanfics, but I stopped those. I have to start again, but not now. right now I must start this fanfic. and oh, I'm just on the early episodes, so I don't know all that much, but I'll learn, definitely.**

**Disclaimer--I do not own anything having to do with Heroes but my character. However, I do wish I owned Milo...xD **

**summary:**

She was one of Peter's last patients, and she wasn't even really his. For some reason, he always came to her though just to see her smile. He learned that she could run faster than humanly possible, and she often did, just to get away. He didn't need another mission after discovering his powers, but he took it on anyway. He was going to stop her running and help her face the truth about her feelings. He cared that much. PeterxOc

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1

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She remembered the feeling well, too well in fact. It had happened before. It felt like a pound of bricks to the head--only worse. The throbbing never stopped, either. Even when all she could see was black, she could still feel the throbbing. She did find it odd that feeling was the only sense she _really_ was aware of being able to use, and all she could actually feel was the headache. But it was different this time. This time the blackness went on forever. No matter how far she trudged through it, it just kept on going.

She knew she was unconscious, but as she lay there, one simple thought managed to push its way through to her.

_I don't think I'm ever going to wake up. _

It was an upsetting thought, obviously. She wanted very much to wake up and to get on with her life. But every time she saw the light at the end of the black tunnel and she ran for it, there was nothing but more darkness. She ran as fast as she could, but the faster she got the farther away the exit seemed to be. And she could run _very _fast. That didn't seem to matter though. Something was keeping her in the darkness; she was wanted there for whatever purpose.

Occasionally she could hear voices. They spoke soothingly sometimes, but usually the words were stifled by heaving sobs. "Lucy, Lucy" they'd say over and over again. Sometimes they'd even let out "Lucky". The girl didn't know what they meant by these words. Lucy...Lucky. The words seemed to mean something, but the girl had no clue what. In fact, to her, no words seemed to make sense. Not while she was running in the black, anyway.

Nothing seemed to make sense to her while she was running there, actually. Things she caught glimpses of, things she felt, she didn't know what any of it was. All she understood was the throbbing of her head and the desperate need to get out of that place while she still could. She wasn't sure what would happen if she didn't succeed, but she somehow knew that it wouldn't be a good thing.

How would she think of a way to get out though? All she knew how to do was run. She couldn't think of some other plan to get herself out of the place she had begun to know so well and hate just as much. Running wasn't working for her, but she had to keep trying. If she didn't try that, she suspected that she'd be stuck in there forever.

"Lucy?"

She stopped running and cocked her head. As usual, she wondered where the voice was coming from. It had to be coming from somewhere, but there was no one around but herself. She looked all around her, hoping that for once maybe she'd catch whomever it was talking. But there was no one--_nothing_. She was all alone in the black world. Her head began to spin as she twirled around in a circle. The black floor she stood on began to circle around her feet; her legs felt as if they were about to give out. Just before he fell she swung her arm out to catch the fall and moved her head.

"Look, nurse, she's moving!"

"That's a good sign," the voice that spoke was one she had never heard before. She liked it though. It was a man's voice, very obviously, It was sort of gruff but very determined and, underneath everything else, the young woman in the dark could hear a sureness about him. As she lay crumpled on the spinning black floor, a smile twitched on her lips. She wanted this guy to stick around for a little bit. Maybe she'd even get to see him.

"Do you think...do you think that maybe she'll be coming out of it soon?"

"I don't know. This isn't my specialty."

"Yes, I understand that, but there must be _something_ you could tell me!" the bitterness and irritation was evident in the woman's voice.

"Well, it could be a sign that she's coming out, but it could also just be restless sleeping."

"She isn't sleeping. She's in a coma."

"Call it what you want. I'm thinking maybe she's coming to it; because most people in comas don't really twitch and smile in their sleep, but you never really know."

Coma? So that's what you called the blackness? The young woman shuddered. It wasn't a very pleasant name, but then again, it wasn't a very pleasant **thing** either. But from what the voices said, she was reaching the exit, or was close to it. Surely they spoke the truth, right? Otherwise they were just getting her hopes up, and she didn't find that all that fair. But what did she know? It was all so confusing to her. It made her head throb even more than it already was, if that was possible.

"I think she's going to make it," the very familiar voice whispered; the young woman on the floor felt something touch her hand, but nothing was there. Curious, she lifted her other hand and touched the one where she had felt something; it didn't feel the same. It was a cold feeling when she did it, but when she had received the touch from whatever it was, she had felt a spark of warmth.

The woman cursed herself for not snatching that warmth while she could. Everything was so cold and dark where she was. But that was what kept her going. She wanted to retrieve the warmth she left behind, as well as everything else. Whatever that was. She couldn't quite remember as she sat there, still.

_I need to get going. Places to be_

Getting to her feet, she held her head to steady herself and then began running again. While she sprinted through the whirling black, she felt a spark of something on her hand. Her eyes, which had already been open, slowly lifted their eyelids.

Seated before her was a young man with dark hair and brown eyes. The only thing black that she could see was his hair. Everything else had color. Boring colors, granted, but still colors. The girl who had been trapped for so long slowly allowed a smile to pass over her lips as her heavy eyelids slowly opened more and more, allowing her to see more of her surroundings.

"Hello," she grumbled, her weak smile growing as she stared at the unfamiliar man at her side.

"Hello," he croaked back, staring hard into her eyes. Hesitantly, he turned his head over his shoulder. "Miss Elizabeth? I think you should see this..."

"What? What is it?"

It was the voice the young woman had heard so often as she ran. She turned her head slightly and saw a tall woman with bright red, wavy hair that ended at her waist. Her crystal blue eyes wandered over the bedded woman before she began sobbing.

"Lucy!" she cried and ran towards the hospital bed. "Oh my goodness, you're okay! Lucy!"

The young man with the dark hair slowly slipped away, leaving Elizabeth and the awoken girl, Lucy, alone together. But Lucy's eyes watched him as he left and then remained on the empty doorframe where he had once stood. All the while, the red-head was screaming and sobbing. But Lucy wasn't listening; she couldn't even concentrate. All she could do was rub her hand where she had felt that spark, and wondered why, after so much running, she was finally free.

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**a/n sorry it's a bit short. the following chapters will be longer, promise. please leave a review :)**


	2. Notes

**a/n thank you so much reviewers!!! but anyway! to continue with the story! **

**Disclaimer--If I owned Heroes, I'd be the happiest girl in the universe **

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"Lucy, what happened?"

The bedded young woman turned towards the red-head and blinked. It was obvious by the blank expression which had taken over her face that she wasn't quite sure what it was her friend meant by the question.

"Lucy, what happened?" the woman repeated more forcefully. Her crystal blue eyes, still wet with tears, widened as she stared hard at the green-eyed woman who lay silently between the covers of her bed. When the girl ordained Lucy didn't say anything, the red head knelt down beside the hospital bed and placed her warm hand on the other woman's freezing arms.

"Lucy?"

Lucy stared for a moment before opening her mouth. When nothing came out, she just shook her head.

"Oh, God. Can you even speak?"

Lucy swallowed hard and opened her mouth again, prepared to say something. But her tongue felt heavy and dry. Try as she might, Lucy was unable to form words with it. So, instead, she shook her head and reached for a pad of paper laid conveniently by her bedside. Of course a pen accompanied it, and grabbed that as well. Fast as she could, she scribbled down her thoughts and shoved the pad at Elizabeth.

"You can't? Not right now anyway?"

Lucy nodded.

Elizabeth flung herself at the bedded girl, hugging her tightly and sobbing. Lucy awkwardly pat her friend on the back. She still wasn't quite to her senses, despite the fact that she had woken over three hours ago. Elizabeth had been forced out of the room as soon as she woke up to leave Lucy in peace. But when she returned about an hour ago, it had taken Lucy at least half-an-hour to recognize her best friend.

"Is that why you wouldn't verbally answer anything I said just before?"

_'No. I just didn't feel like talking. I'm tired.'_ Lucy wrote then showed the response the Elizabeth who nodded slowly.

"Do you want me to leave you alone then?"

Lucy shook her head; she liked having company after having spent so much time alone in the darkness.

Elizabeth gave a relieved smile. Quickly she wrapped her arms around her friend again before standing and walking towards the covered window. Carefully she pulled open the shades. The light reached Lucy's eyes and practically blinded her. She buried her face in her hands. She wasn't used to such bright lights. In fact, she wasn't used to any light at all. Not anymore, not after the coma.

"So...could you write for me what happened to you, sweetie?"

Lucy thought about it for a moment. Tons of images entered her mind but they were only fragments. Feet moving way too fast. Cars. A brick wall. Blood. A crowd of bodies. And then black, tons and tons of black.

Lucy shook her head again. Elizabeth, who had been watching her friend hopefully, sighed and stared down at the ground. Her long red hair hung in her bright eyes as she shuffled her feet, a frown deeply set between her eyebrows. Lucy watched her curiously, frowning also. She wasn't used to Elizabeth being silent. Whenever her voice had broken through the silence, it had been loud and she had said a lot. Even before the coma, Elizabeth had been like that. But suddenly that seemed to be gone.

"I need to get back to the school," she whispered, not even looking at her friend.

She gave Lucy a weak smile and then headed for the door. Lucy couldn't let that happen though. As fast as she could she scribbled down her question and began gesticulating, hoping her friend would see her. And to her luck, she did. The red-head turned around slowly, eyebrow cocked as she stared at her friend.

"You probably shouldn't do that," she cautioned, stepping toward the bed. "You've only just woken up from the coma. You're probably still weak."

Lucy shrugged, thrusting her note towards Elizabeth; the blue eyed girl read quickly and shrugged as well. "I don't know. Peter or something. I didn't really get a chance to see his name tag. Why?"

Lucy shrugged again. '_Just curious. He seemed nice. And I'd like to be able to address my doctor by name._'

"He's a nurse, not a doctor. And he isn't your nurse. He was just helping a colleague by checking in on you. That's what he told me anyway."

'_Could you find him for me?'_

"Why?" Elizabeth's eyes narrowed. "No, don't tell me. You have a crush on this guy? You avoid every single guy at school and yet you're seeking this one out? What's with that?"

_'No!! It isn't that. Just please get him for me?'_

"I'll do what I can. I'll see you later, not-so-Lucky." The blue-eyed woman smiled slightly at her friend before opening the room's door and stepping out. Through the glass, she gave a small wave and then headed down the hall to the front desk to ask about the nurse. Lucy watched her friend for as long as she could before falling back onto the bed and closing her sore eyes.

She was still tired and she was still weak. She wanted to get up, but she knew she couldn't. She was stuck to her bed like a prisoner, barely any better off than she was stuck inside her own mind. What she needed was to be able to move her legs again--to run, to dance, to just _move_.

She thought about how she ran and a smile flickered across her face as she slowly drifted back off to sleep.

צּ

"Miss Gibler?"

The sleeping girl turned slightly, her mouth twitching slightly at the corner.

"Miss Gibler?"

Her hand moved slightly towards the male nurse kneeling beside her bed. The man watched her curiously, wondering what was going on in her dreams, when her whole body shook and her hand shot out, grabbing the man tightly around the wrist. The nurse's brown eyes widened in surprise, but he easily rid himself of the shock. Hesitantly, he lifted his free hand and placed it on the young woman's trembling one.

Instantly, the woman's eyes shot open. She pulled her hand away from the nurse and stuck it under the blankets to rub her leg with. She stared uncertainly at the man kneeling before her for a moment; then realization dawned on her and she smiled slightly and sat up.

" Elizabeth said you asked for me. What is it?"

The young woman reached for her pad and pen, but they weren't there. Shooting up even farther, she frantically began to search for them around her, but she couldn't find them. It was as if they had disappeared while she took her nap.

The nurse got to his feet. "Whoa, whoa. Hang on there, okay? Elizabeth warned me that you might start looking for something to write on and with. Here." Out of his pocket, he pulled a small, unused notebook and a clicking pen. The bedded woman gratefully took them. Carefully, she opened the plastic cover and began to write on the first page. She wrote slowly and carefully, being sure that what she said made sense and was legible.

_'I didn't really need anything. I just wanted company. I just got back from somewhere very dark and lonely, and...well, Elizabeth had to leave, and you're the only other person I've seen here. You seem nice'_

As the nurse read, he chuckled. "A lot of people seem to think that," he commented.

'_It's true, from what I've seen. Which, I'll give you, isn't all that much, but it must count, right?_'

"I guess it could," the nurse laughed. "Not for much though."

The young woman smiled lightly in return. She lifted her pen to start writing again, but the nurse held his hand out as a sign that she should stop for a moment. She stared curiously at him for a moment with her green eyes, waiting for him to explain why he did that.

"Sit back and relax. The sooner you get better, the sooner you're out of here."

The girl begrudgingly obeyed the dark-haired nurse. She lay silently on her bed, stiff and with a pout on her face. The nurse laughed and bent over to fluff her pillows. Very carefully, he pulled her blankets up over her and smoothed down the edges. "Are you comfortable?" he asked, glancing up at her.

The young woman shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess it isn't too possible to get comfortable here. To be quite honest, the beds aren't all that great."

The green-eyed woman smiled brightly and giggled; the nurse stopped what he was doing and stared at her for a moment before carrying on with fixing up the bed for the bed-ridden girl. He then sat down on the chair located beside the night stand and leaned towards her.

"So, what's your first name?"

_'Lucy Gibler. You?_'

"Peter. Peter Petrelli."

_'Petrelli...Hey, are you related to that guy running for congress?'_

"Yeah. He's my brother," Peter half snorted.

_'Hm. Are you going to vote for him?'_

Peter didn't even hesitate before replying, "Of course I am!"

_'Good. So am I. I hope you aren't just voting for him because he's your brother though?'_

"Of course not. No...I just think he'd be good for the job is all."

_'I agree.'_ Lucy paused before adding '_I'm sorry for being so forward. Sometimes, when I actually start talking to people outside my group of friends, I start to say things that are a little out of line. I'm sorry.'_

"No, it's fine. It's actually kind of refreshing that someone isn't afraid to ask questions that might be kind of weird on a first meeting." He smiled quickly at her. "But you are only like that around people you don't know on the occasion you talk to them?"

Lucy nodded. _'I feel comfortable asking my friends stuff. It's just how I am.'_

Peter nodded. "Yeah, I can understand that, I guess."

Both were silent after that. Lucy gently placed her pad and pen on her nightstand and lay down on the bed and closed her eyes so that she could think clearly. Peter remained seated in the chair. He didn't move or speak, just sat and silently watched the girl. She was pretty, he noted. And he liked her eyes. They were such a bright green color. She also seemed very nice and funny, if she wanted to be.

Peter sighed. The whole situation felt very familiar to him. It was Simone all over again. He saw her. She was attractive, nice, and funny, and he fell straight into love. He knew how it would end up though, and he didn't want to go down that road. He'd admit that he liked the girl and she'd be seeing someone and everything would be awkward. He was just going to stay away from all of that, if he could help it. It was bad enough that he was still harboring feelings for Simone and she was with Isaac.

_I'm getting too far ahead of myself,_ he thought with a sigh, placing a hand to his head. _She's just a patient who wants some company. After today I'll probably never see her again, and that will be that._

And for Peter, there was no changing that. What he said was how it was going to be.

Silence continued; Peter tried to fight down the turmoil raging inside him. He found it irritating, especially on a first meeting. He suspected it wouldn't last though, so he'd just act regularly for the time being. It had worked with Simone, who he actually loved. Surely it worked with this girl, who he only found attractive, nothing more.

"Hey, why can't you talk anyway?" the nurse suddenly asked, head shooting up. He expected to find her still resting and was afraid he might have disturbed her, but instead he found the brown-haired girl writing attentively in the pad he had given her moments before. She glanced over at him after he interrupted her and put her index finger up for 'one minute.

Lucy quickly finished up and handed the pad over to the dark-haired nurse.

_'If con is the opposite of pro, then what is the opposite of progress?'_

"I don't get it. Is it a riddle or something?" Peter, after studying the words for a minute or so, inquired. He brushed hair out of his brown eyes and stared curiously at the bedded young woman. She smiled back at him and held her hand out to receive the pad. The nurse handed it over immediately and she began to scribble her message down again.

_'No,'_ she wrote, '_it isn't really. Just think of your brother though, and you'll get it.'_

The dark-haired young man did as was instructed of him. He though about Nathan. He thought about how he could fly, how is was older than him, married, everything. But Peter almost missed the most obvious thing of all.

"Congress?" he guessed, laughing at his own slow-mindedness.

Lucy, laughing, nodded vigorously.

"No, you shouldn't do that," the nurse warned, getting to his feet and extending a hand. "Just relax, alright? You'll get better sooner that way."

"Okay," Lucy mouthed, smiling unsurely. Her green eyes flickered down towards the large hand which was placed on her delicate wrist. She unknowingly tugged away from the loose grip of the attractive nurse and stared down at the half-filled page of the small notebook before her. She lifted her hand, making sure the nurse didn't grab it again, and began to draw stars and hearts on the margin of the page; she felt Peter watching her for a moment before he sat back down.

He was silent until a random chuckle escaped him. "Yeah, I don't think Nathan would like that joke."

Lucy shrugged.

"He'd disagree, too. I can't even begin to imagine what he'd say," he laughed.

Lucy smiled brightly. _'Then don't tell him, if you don't want a lecture,_' she advised

The boy nodded slowly in agreement. As noilessness began to fall around the hospital room again, Peter lifted his head and repeated his question. In response to it, Lucy gave a half-hearted shrug.

_'I believe it isn't I'm not capable, but I'm tired and I'm weak, and I'm still in shock from what happened. I think it's caused me to temporarily not be able to talk. No biggie. I'll get over it._'

It wasn't until Lucy wrote it that he noticed, but when Peter looked carefully at her, he could see that she was shaking slightly. She didn't seem to even notice the shaking, but it was there. Now that Peter saw it, he couldn't stop seeing it. It worried him. What if it wasn't just shock and fright that gave her that, but something else? He'd have to inform someone in the department about it and find out what it was.

"I should get going back to my department. I have patients to check up on. I'll...I'll see you around."

_'Maybe then I'll be able to talk,_' she wrote with a smile.

Peter nodded. "Yeah, maybe."

The dark-haired nurse stood quickly and disappeared into the hall. He walked quickly away from Lucy Gibler's room, trying to make the distance between himself and her as great as possible. It would be better that way, he was sure.

"But I bet she has a nice voice," he whispered to himself, looking over his shoulder back down the hall to where she lay, restless sin her bed. His hand, which was on the knob on another patient's door, turned and he pushed his way into the room.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Johnson, how are you?" he greeted and got down to business.

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**a/n I bet it's moving too fast. I'm sorry. I promise I will slow it down and move it back as the story progresses, but it has to start somewhere. things will get messed up with them to make the story interesting, but there has to be some starting point, and this is the one I chose. I already have ideas for the next chapter--yay! hope you're all back to see it :) reviews are appreciated, and I really appreciate and love all the ones I've already gotten :)**


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